Many Impacts of Social Media

      I will be the first to admit, I am addicted to social media and I'm okay with that. I would like to consider myself what you would call a "social network junkie." Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr,  Instagram, and especially SnapChat, I use them all on a daily basis and I couldn't imagine not using any of them. As a certified social network junkie, I must admit that I feel as though it is intrusive into people's personal lives because anything posted online is accessible and never goes away.   Although all social media sites have their own set of privacy settings, it is not guaranteed that your personal information will not go public. 
     While being active on any social media site, it is imperative to be responsible of what you post because you never know who is watching you online. Facebook is currently the most used social network site on the planet with over one billion visitors monthly. Out of that billion, it's a strong possibility that your current or future employer is using it as well and will use it to their advantage. I can't remember the amount of times my mom has told me to be careful of what I post online especially on Facebook because people are able to still see what I post even if my information is "private". Which means to make sure your profile picture is decent (no nudity, drugs or alcohol), don't make post too personal so the whole world knows what I'm going through, refrain from posting everything that occurs in my life online and blah blah blah. After the 100th time, I finally listened to her and cleaned my Facebook page because mom knows best right? Although it's important to be mindful of what we post online, does it really matter? There are numerous stories and accusations against social network sites that use your information without your information, even if it's supposedly "private". 
      In August 2013, a class-action suit that lasted two years was settled in favor of Facebook, with the consent of the court, of making a profit of exploited children without their knowledge or their parents. A mother found a picture of her daughter in an online ad one scrolling through Facebook and drew the line. Despite it being prohibited in six states (California, Florida, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin), many parents felt like it was a slap in the face. For example, if a child checks in at a restaurant, there's a possibility that an ad with that child's face will appear along with the restaurants name as a form of advertising. No matter what privacy is privacy and if someone does not give you permission to use their information than you simply shouldn't. 
       In the near future I see social media as the only form of communication. Right now, we are able to send messages, place phone calls, and even send money through social media sites. As exciting as it is to see what else is out there, I will always miss the days when people actually socialized and used their social network accounts... the good days.